Leiter Goes The Distance To Help Phillies Earn Split * Rookie Estelella Hits Another Homer, A 3-run Shot In The Nightcap, His Sixth In 29 At Bats.

September 13, 1997|by DON BOSTROM, The Morning Call

Mark Leiter and the Red Baron wing of the Phillies clubhouse combined to shut down the latest version of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine as Philadelphia salvaged a split of Friday's twi-night doubleheader with a 9-1 romp.

Leiter (10-15) crafted a slick five-hit complete game after Cincinnati had posted its ninth straight win at Veterans Stadium and 14th in the last 15 meetings here with a 4-2 decision in the opener.

Phillies manager Terry Francona broke that Reds hex in a colorful manner. He used a lineup that featured seven men that had played for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons at some time this season.

Ironically, Tony Barron flourished the most against the Reds. He went 5-for-8 with a double, triple, run scored and RBI in the two games.

"Tony is trying to show us what he can do," Francona said. "So far, he's done a great job of it."

Rookie catcher Bobby Estalella also seems intent on being known as "Mr. September."

Estalella slammed a three-run homer in the nightcap. It was his fourth dinger in just 12 at bats this month since being recalled. The grandson of the former A's outfielder of the same name jolted two homers in his 17 hacks last September. His six homers in 29 at bats projects to a 100-plus longball binge over a full season.

"He's a tremendous prospect," said Francona. "But, right now, Mike Lieberthal is a tremendous player. That's why he'll play most of the games.

"Remember, Bobby hit .229 at Triple A. He's got tremendous power, though, and I think defense is the best part of his game."

The second-game breakout and Leiter's gem provided a soothing ending to another emotional grinder of a day for the Phillies family.

The Phillies -- in uniform -- were among the estimated 20,000 who paid their respects to Rich Ashburn while he lay in state at Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park Friday.

"It's been draining," admitted Francona. "Whitey meant so much to all of us. We didn't have a whole lot of energy, for obvious reasons. It was like slow motion. But we still have to play."

First-game loser Garrett Stephenson (6-6) was extremely fond of Ashburn. He had won a new suit of clothes from the Hall of Famer by getting through a start without issuing a walk.

"It definitely got to me," Stephenson admitted. "I just got back a month ago from my aunt's funeral in Utah. This brought a lot of memories of that back to me.

"When you pitch, you try to be in your own little world. That was hard to do, considering the circumstances."

Jeff Shaw, the best closer you've never heard of, restored order for his 35th save.

Stephenson struck out eight in a gritty 6-1/3-inning effort. He was in constant trouble but trailed only 1-0 through six when Chris Stynes, Eduardo Perez -- Tony's son -- and Willie Greene bunched singles in the third.

"He found a way to squirm out of some jams," Francona said. "He concentrates better when he needs to. He's a pretty good pitcher. But, if you put enough runners on base, eventually some of them are going to score."

Red Barons United helped the Phillies halt their three-game losing streak, which, in a scheduling quirk, came against three different clubs -- the Mets, Giants and Reds.

The Reds cooperated by making a pair of damaging, two-base errors to fuel a four-run uprising in the third inning against Pete Schourek (5-8).

Desi Relaford reached on a two-base throwing error by Damian Jackson. Rex Hudler ripped an RBI double. He moved to third when Greene dropped a routine fly by Kevin Sefcik. Jordan scalded a two-run double down the third-base line and Ruben Amaro capped the siege with an RBI single to center.

A Sefcik single, Jordan double, a throwing error by catcher Joe Oliver and an RBI single by Barron made it 6-0 in the fifth.

Estalella's latest bomb capped the fun.

"Our extra men do as much as they can to prepare for a game," Francona said. "They all got in, they all contributed and they wound up having a lot of fun. If I had known they'd hit like that, I'd have done it in the first game."

Leiter, backed by several outrageous defensive plays by Scott Rolen, cruised to his 10th win, which equaled his career high set in 1995 with San Francisco.